Time is sparse.
Many people say they don’t have time to exercise.
I don’t believe them.
What most people mean is they can’t be bothered training. If they just said that, I’d be fine with it, I appreciate honesty, but saying you don’t have the time? That’s poor.
What some other mean, is that they don’t know how to train in a limited space of time. Most people think a workout must be an hour or more of sweat and grind.
But does it?
Absolutely not.
Efficiency and intensity will trump duration in every case with the exception of developing endurance.
Even still, frequent, short, intense sessions will build work capacity which can then be honed into endurance when time allows.
So how do we get a full workout in in under an hour. Scratch that, that’s too easy. How about in 20 minutes?
Lets look at the major movement patterns. I stole these from Dan John, but since he includes them in almost every article he produces, I don’t think he’ll mind…
We have:
Upper Body Push Upper Body Pull Hip Hinge Squat Everything else (ie, Gait, Core, Prehab/Rehab etc)
Pick one exercise from each category, pick a rep range and go for it. That’s it. I tend to use the “Everything else” category for the warm up, you may choose it for a finisher. But a sample short sharp workout may go like:
1A: Pull Up x 5 1B: Clean & press x 5 1C: Front Squat x 10 1D: KB Snatch x 10L/R As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 20 minutes with good form.
Ensure you adhere to good form!
If you’re following a progressive program rather than a WOD format, then pick 1 or 2 big lifts per session. Maybe on day 1 use Deadlifts and Presses, on day 2 it can be Front Squats and Pull Ups. Set a stopwatch for 15 minutes and get as many reps as each done as possible in that time span. This is so effective, Charles Staley wrote a book on it and called it Escalating Density Training or EDT. I use it a lot with my clients, especially those looking for fast results with little time used.
2-4 short sharp sessions per week may just be enough to get you the results you need, but only if you put in the required effort.
Each day in WG-Fit we run a lunchtime session with a short sharp “WOD” written up and many people following specific training protocols developed for their needs. Most attendees only have a 30 minute window in which to train. A few can stay longer, but all of them get in on their lunchtime and get it done.
Join them.
Regards Dave Hedges http://www.WG-Fit.com
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